


Yes

by Natural_Log



Series: Widofjord From My Head [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode 88, First Time, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PWP, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Post episode 88, Smut, ahem, injured!Caleb, or hurt/CUMfort if you know what i meeeeeeaaaaannnn, slightly ooc if you want to be picky as heck, tender!Fjord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:48:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21804685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natural_Log/pseuds/Natural_Log
Summary: After a long day of fighting Obann and talking to royalty, the Mighty Nein drag themselves to their lodgings for a well-deserved rest.But first, Caleb needs to clean up. And Fjord... Fjord is a bit of a mother hen.
Relationships: Fjord/Caleb Widogast
Series: Widofjord From My Head [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1198351
Comments: 15
Kudos: 289





	Yes

**Author's Note:**

> As mentioned on my tumblr (moonelf19.tumblr.com) I wrote this in a haze after the last episode. Did a read through and fixed a few things but it's otherwise unedited so keep that in mind. Also.... OOC sexytimes, considering the state Caleb is in. I'd say sorry but it's smut so I feel like it's comin with the territory.
> 
> \--I do not condone, nor give consent, to have my work used, copied, or accessed by anyone or anything other than the official AO3 website or any application that AO3 makes. If you are reading my work, make sure it's through the AO3 portals, otherwise congrats you found someone who stole my work! If you are someone trying to steal my work, kindly go find the biggest, nastiest cactus and sit on it and think about what you've done.--

Through the shuffle of bodies, alive and dead, in the aftermath of the cult's downfall Fjord felt overwhelmed in a unique way. He struggled to track both his people and the numerous others that might be threats. Pumat was deemed well, especially after being given some healing, and Fjord tried to relax some of the tension in his shoulders. He turned to Caleb to remark his relief and saw his friend was staring into space and muttering under his breath. Fjord adjusted his gait to move closer as they were escorted out of the church, into the street and held the door for Caleb.

“Caleb?”

“I do love this city,” Caleb replied as though mid-conversation with Fjord, but his eyes raked over Fjord's face without really seeing it. “Truly. I just…”

Nott passed in front of them, moving to look down another street as they walked through the city, and Jester fell further back, keeping pace with Yasha as Beau stayed at the front, hand on her staff. 

When Caleb didn’t continue Fjord reached out to touch his shoulder. “Caleb…” 

His hand met air as they were brought into a new building and Caleb suddenly stopped, looking up, his face tightened. “Ah.”

The stilted, tense conversation with powerful figures only reinforced Fjord’s locked muscles, a headache brewing in his temples from clenched jaw. Even though things went reasonably well (which was more than he had hoped for upon walking into a meeting that involved a king) Fjord tried to stay at either Caleb’s back or elbow, certain that none of this was helping the wizard.

Sure enough Ikthon seemed all too calm as he walked away and left the Nine clustered around Caleb protectively despite no threat being issued. From the rear of the group Fjord let his hand drift up and gently touched Caleb’s arm, but it was only for a moment as Caduceus herded them towards what would hopefully be their weapons and then a room to sleep in. 

Fjord was ready to pass out the moment they arrived at the inn, so wrung out from the day that he had completely forgotten the new scars in his armor, the muck of battle caked onto his skin. Beau and Caduceus were talking about getting cleaned up for dinner but Fjord was lost in a daydream of feather pillows and a soft blanket until Jester skipped down the hall to the (presumably only) bath. 

He should have known Nott would immediately claim Caleb as a roommate, though lately she had taken to sleeping with Jester more often than not. For a moment Fjord felt a bit of anxiety about separating the party and was considering dragging mattresses into Caleb's room when Caduceus offered to bunk with him, and Fjord realized he did want to speak with his friend a bit. Everyone else slipped into their own rooms, Nott guiding Caleb into the room next to Fjords as he tried to catch the wizard's eye and failed. 

Caleb was not alright, that much was clear, but Fjord felt more uncertain here than he had in the happy fun ball. Whenever there were struggles in the past Caleb was like the horizon to Fjord, a steadying point of orientation that Fjord could align himself around. He didn’t need to know the whole story to know their dealings in Rexxentrum would be incredibly difficult for Caleb, taxing on him mentally and emotionally, and Fjord felt the intense need to sit next to Caleb. Speaking wasn’t always necessary between them to communicate, and considering how little Fjord understood what Caleb was going through he hoped their knowing silence would be enough to convey his support.

Good communication was so new to him that Fjord knew he needed Caduceus’ advice on how to proceed. He should probably show his appreciation for the cleric's help but his mind was only half on the conversation at hand, thinking of Caleb in the room next door, thinking of the threats in the empire, and not for the first time wished they could return to the Balleater and live in peace on the ocean.

But this was Caleb’s home, Fjord reminded himself as he leaned against his bed while sitting on the floor. This was something they had to do, something Caleb had to do. He couldn’t run away. Fjord couldn’t leave him. He turned his hand over in his lap as Caduceus made tea at a little table, traced a finger over the line in his palm, remembered pressing his blood to Caleb’s. This is not how he thought things would go. Recovering Yasha, the poor woman, likely being doted on by both Jester and Beau in her own brisk way, was a boon to their party, a reinforcement that they wouldn’t leave each other behind. The symbol of Melora caught his eye and he turned it over again. He had traded his past, his darkness, his tumultuous machinations for this party, for growth and life and new bonds. Now he hoped he could help Caleb do the same.

Most of the party was still rank and coated in gore during dinner, eating half-heartedly while discussing their plans. Fjord made sure to seat himself next to Caleb, kept the man’s plate full and maneuvered extra food to be easily in reach. Caleb himself wasn’t eating much despite both Fjord and Nott’s attempts and was instead half-listening to the discussion and half staring into space.

“Are you alright, Caleb?” Fjord finally asked outright, voice pitching a bit lower despite speaking loud enough for the table to hear and pay attention. “All of these things, these happenings…”

“Yeah Caleb, are you ok?” Jester echoed, her eyes sad for their friend.

“We can take care of that man, if you need us to,” Caduceus offered, and Jester immediately perked up.

“Yeah! If you want us to cut him into pieces we can do that, just kill him and hide the body and-”

The table dissolved into two parties- the people who openly stated they wanted to murder Trent in cold blood right away, and those who wanted to do it more sneakily. But Fjord didn’t look away from Caleb, who was still pale and gaunt.

“I.. I don’t know if I’m alright.” Caleb finally replied, and Fjord set his jaw despite the headache. “We will… we will see.”

Caduceus was next into the bath, promising not to take as long, and Fjord followed Nott and Caleb to their room.

“I can watch him, Fjord,” Nott hissed reproachfully, puffing herself up. “He’s my boy, don’t forget it.”

“I know,” Fjord replied absentmindedly, watching Caleb pick up a book and move to the chair by the balcony listlessly. “We almost lost him today, I’m just…”

Nott softened, deflated into herself. “Me too.”

Caleb looked up, eyes dull. “I can hear you both.”

“Good!” Nott said, pulling out her flask and pouring Caleb a drink. “It’s good for you to realize how worried we all were, weren’t we Fjord?”

Fjord had locked eyes with Caleb though and something in his face must have shown because Caleb tilted his head in question. “Yes,” was all Fjord could manage, remembering Caleb disappearing into the things maw, knowing he was barely clinging to life, and his voice was too thick. That moment when Caleb had dropped, only seconds after Obann turned into a beast, had made Fjord want to swoop the wizard up and thunderstep away if he could, if he hadn’t expended his magic already. 

“I’m alright,” Caleb said lowly, and his face softened before he turned away with a grimace. “We made it out, we defeated him.”

Nott draped an arm around Caleb, “We did, and now you need to rest. I’ll make sure you get the next bath after Cad comes back. Fjord why don’t you see if he’s finished?”

“Sure.” Fjord swallowed, shaking his head and turning away. “I’ll be right back.” He stopped at the door though. When he looked back Caleb was leaned into Nott with his book in his lap, his cat at his ankles, and Nott was petting the wizards head absentmindedly. They seemed to be reinforcing each other with the last of their energy. Fjord quickly stepped into the hall.

“Is he ok?” Yasha asked, and Fjord tried not to jump but failed.

“Yes,” Fjord coughed to cover how startled he was. “Yes, he’s as good as can be. Just needs a bath and a rest, I suppose we all do though.”

For all that Yasha was very obviously the least washed of them all, she inclined her head. “He can use the bathing room then. Cad came by to tell me he was finished, but I thought…” she looked pointedly at the door. “He is… more weak than the rest of us.”

“He is not weak,” Fjord immediately retorted, and caught himself. Yasha held up a hand.

“I misspoke. His constitution, his wounds… he passed out in the battle. I worry that he will take more to recover. We must tend to our friends when they fall around us. You… you understand what I mean, I think.”

Fjord nodded and gripped Yasha’s shoulder. She returned the gesture. “Yes, but I think he will need more time than we can afford to recover from being here. Thank you, and I’m sorry if I snapped.”

Yasha’s gaze was tired but kind. “We all need rest, Fjord. Even you.” She turned and walked back to her rooms quietly.

It took a moment for Fjord to gather himself again, rubbing his temples. To think that one day he would have a family like this, would have so many people to look after… he still doesn’t understand how he came to be here, not really. But the emblem of the Wildmother caught his eye again, and he rubbed a finger over it in thought before turning back to tap on Caleb and Nott's door lightly.

“Caduceus is finished in the baths,” he said, sticking his head in. Caleb stirred as though he had dozed off, “Yasha thinks you need to sleep soonest so she is still in with the girls if you want to go over Nott.”

“I’m going to take Caleb to the bathroom, make sure he doesn’t get lost in the water,” Nott set aside Caleb’s book as he stood, Frumpkin mrrping her dissatisfaction with them all moving around.

“I don’t need to be babysat,” Caleb grumbled, “besides, Yasha needs to be mothered more than me. You should check in with her Nott.”

The two looked at each other for a moment, speaking without their voices, before Nott stashed her flask. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

“Take Frumpkin with you.”

The cat padded after Nott and as she passed Fjord the goblin looked up into his face before punching him lightly in the thigh.

He feigned a wince in response and held the door for Caleb, who was moving slower than usual. Nott had already closed herself into the girls' room before he made it out of his room.

“Are you alright?” Fjord asked again, looking him over for any severe wounds that may be slowing him down.

“That is the question of the night, isn’t it?” Caleb offered him a small smile, patting his arm. “You can escort me to the baths, mother Fjord, if you are so worried.” 

Fjord tried to play along with Caleb's tone, “I will do just that,” and moved beside him. He had to force himself not to hover too close, or spread an arm behind the man.

They fell into silence, and Fjord couldn’t decide what he wanted to say. How to express his concern, or perhaps offer his ear, or maybe ask if Caleb needed anything, anything at all. The bathing room was on the other side of the building, near the kitchens if Fjord recalled correctly. They didn’t move horribly slow through the hall but Caleb was hiding a mild limp and Fjord pretended to be favoring a side himself just to have a better reason to keep pace.

Warm air brushed their faces as they turned the corner to the baths, steam lingering from Cad’s use. Caleb glanced at Fjord before moving into the room, and Fjord followed on autopilot. It wasn’t until Caleb set down his coat and sat to remove his shoes that Fjord realized he was standing in a smaller room filled with steam and a washtub next to the hearth with Caleb in the early night. 

Suddenly self-conscious, why had he followed Caleb into the bathroom? Why hadn’t Caleb said anything? Fjord busied his hands by picking up Caleb's coat and moving to the side of the washtub, taking a bucket with some of the water Caduceus had left prepared and grabbing a rag. “I’ll try to get the worst out, I suppose. It might…” he held the battered article of clothing aloft, noting the myriad of tears. “It might take some mending, but if you want I can get it functional.”

“I appreciate it,” Caleb huffed as his shoes slid next to the bench he was sitting on. “We may need to stop for replacements of other things though, so there is no need to try that hard. I-” his voice cut off with a wince and Fjord turned at the sound, concerned.

“What-”

Caleb had his shirt half off, his pants loosened at his waist and books carefully set down, but a slash of red on his ribs seemed to have caught him off guard as he teetered. Fjord dropped the coat and was next to him instantly, lowering Caleb’s arm and gently pulling the shirt from him. “Easy,” he murmured, looking at the wound. It was deep, the skin purpled with bruises where it wasn’t blood-spattered. 

Fjord lowered Caleb to the bench, eyes stuck on the wound. It pulsed with clotted blood, threatening to open again. “Caleb, you need healing for this- you’ve needed healing for this.”

Caleb grimaced and let his head fall forward slightly. “Da, we all have needed healing. I’ll patch it up.” But he didn’t move, leaned against the wall.

Fjord sighed through his nose, glaring at Caleb's ruined skin and likely broken ribs, remembering too vividly as Caleb dropped like a rock, as Caleb was grasped by the creature and bit into, as Caleb-

“I’m alive,” Caleb whispered into the steam of the room. With the door closed, it was pleasantly warm and soothing, and Caduceus had left herbs behind that was refreshing. “Fjord, I am alright.”

“You almost weren’t,” Fjord retorted and knelt to get a closer look. At least one broken rib, by his count, though Caleb wasn’t rasping for breath so no lung damage. The skin was shredded however and there were a few other gashes he hadn’t noticed. The more skin Fjord inspected the more injuries he found. 

While he couldn’t get a good look at his back, Fjord tsked and held Caleb’s arm in place to look over a shallow slash on his bicep. A glancing wound, so Fjord looked further down for anything else.

Caleb tugged for a moment on his arm, trying to free himself, but gave up quickly. The scars on his forearm were deep, lasting. Horrific. Fjord did his best not to stare, turning Caleb's arm over. Another scar ran across his right palm and Fjord traced it before he could stop himself. 

“I still owe you,” Fjord finally said, and Caleb shifted. “Don’t think I had forgotten, Caleb, what I owe you.”

“It was nothing Fjord. In comparison to everything we have been though… it was nothing at all. A bit of blood against our battles is not worth holding onto.” Caleb gently pulled his hand back, closing it into a fist.

“I don’t mean the blood,” Fjord muttered. “I asked you for something, for you to give up something, and you did it without question. You’ve always had my back.” He couldn’t look away from the wound in Caleb’s side, but that wasn’t the injury he was thinking about when he said, “I meant what I said earlier. If you want me to take care of this on a personal level, I would do it. Now. Later. Say the word, Caleb, and I will do whatever you need.”

Silence hung like the fog in the air. Fjord didn’t move, waiting for Caleb’s reply, watching the clotted blood tremble like Caleb's hand in his periphery. 

Caleb finally cleared his throat and pulled himself forward. “Right now it seems I need assistance into the tub. I didn’t realize how… I would rather not drown in here, after all of this.”

Fjord leaned back and stood, running his hand through his hair as he tried to look anywhere but at Caleb. “Of course, I’ll fill it for you, you can just…” he raised a hand, made a gesture at Caleb, and let his hand fall when you couldn’t find the words.

The water was hot, almost too hot. Fjord filled the washtub most of the way before fetching some from the well and using it too cool the water slightly. He set the colder water aside and looked over the herbs that Caduceus had left behind in little pouches. Fjord didn’t recognize all of them, but he knew enough that a few had healing properties. Not potent to be of use in battles, but Caduceus often had balms with them that helped things heal while you slept.

Satisfied with the handful of plant matter, Fjord turned back and stirred it into the bathtub before gathering up soaps and inspecting them for use until he heard Caleb step closer to the tub and looked up.

Caleb was only in his smallclothes, leaned up against the tub and watching Fjord idly. “Are you finished, potion master?”

Fjord licked his lips and forced himself to look back at the soaps. “Yes master wizard, I think the potion just needs a bit of human and it will be just right. Though let me know if its too hot, the water had been left on for a bit and I-”

Motion made him stop circling the tub to help Caleb in, as he had dropped his small clothes casually. This wasn’t the first time they had been naked around each other but Fjord was trying not to choke on his tongue all the same. 

“You are too finicky, Fjord.” Caleb gripped Fjord's arm as he levered his leg into the tub. “At this point the water could be near frozen, I’d still be glad to clean off this filth.”

“Yes.” Fjord stared at the wall numbly. There was a painting of some foreign fruit he didn’t recognize and he spent a good deal of effort trying to memorize it for some reason. “Sure.”

Caleb made a small noise, twisting to bring the rest of his body into the water, and Fjord grabbed at the man's waist on instinct. “Easy,” he admonished. “Take it easy, please.” His hand seemed so large on the man's skin, next to his bruising and blood. Fjord wished yet again he had not spent all of his magic, wished he could take away some of the hurt. Instead, he helped balance Caleb, using his strength to let him lean far enough he could enter the water slowly.

He hissed as his various wounds made contact, the water hazing with blood and dirt. Fjord waited until it was clear Caleb wouldn’t slip under the water unintentionally before retreating to the bench with Caleb's clothes. 

He set to cleaning them off as best he could, scratching away the strange muck that Obann seemed to bleed as well as the dried blood that was Calebs. So much of Caleb’s blood was soaked around one hole that Fjord didn’t realize Caleb was talking for a moment.

“...the battle, were you?”

“Hmm?” Fjord looked up and Caleb was looking straight at him from the tub, eyes half-closed, lit by the nearby hearth.

They both waited, the only sound the crackling fire for a long moment.

“I said,” Caleb’s voice was low and soft with his accent, “that I hoped you weren’t too injured in all the fighting, were you? You are alright?”

“You,” Fjord replied, pointing a finger at Caleb accusingly, “look on death's door and you ask me if I’m alright? Wildmother, I beseech you,” and Fjord held his hands up as though praying right then and there, “please restore this wizard his intellect, he has clearly lost it, and all of his wits and smarts. Truly.”

Caleb didn’t blink. “I mean it, Fjord. Are you hurt?”

Fjord swallowed, mouth dry despite the humidity. “Caleb, no, I’m fine.” He shook his head and scrubbed at Caleb’s coat again. “Wildmother,” he muttered anyway.

“Up in here,” Caleb replied, and huffed a small laugh.

Fjord smiled and shook out the coat. Most of the debris was gone so Fjord dropped it into a bucket of water and let it soak.

“Can you hand me a rag please?”

Fjord stood right away, moving around the room and avoiding looking at Caleb as he picked up a few rags and soaps. “Here.”

Caleb’s hand shook slightly as he reached for the washing goods and Fjord sighed. “Do you… I don’t want you to have to go to bed still filthy, do you want me to-”

“Would you please?” Caleb cut him off, looking down at himself. “I feel silly, having to ask, I suppose I can-”

Fjord dragged an upturned bucket over to the side of the tub near Caleb’s chest, distracting himself with lathering up a rag. “I already told you, just ask.”

Ducking his head Caleb leaned forward, gripping the sides of the tub. “You are like a mother hen you know.”

“Cluck cluck bitch,” Fjord shot back and set about washing Caleb down. “If you get an infection I’ll never hear the end of it from Nott.”

He moved slowly, using only enough pressure to wipe the remaining blood and gore away. The knobs of Caleb’s spine still stuck out too far for his liking but Fjord held his tongue. Working around the wound was worse though, the water having loosened the clot meant blood was slowly murking the water. Fjord bit his lip and cleaned the wound as gently as he could, still earning a gasp for the trouble, before grabbing a clean rag and pressing it against the cut. 

“Can you hold this to the bleeding, Caleb?”

Caleb’s wet hand slid over Fjords entirely, holding it to his side, and Fjord flicked his gaze up to Caleb’s instinctively. The pain was clear by the tightness around his eyes accentuating the crow's feet at the corners, the deeply discolored bags that shadowed them, and the overall pallor that was only fading due to Caleb’s flush high in his cheeks. A bit of pink water ran from Caleb’s slightly bloody nose down past his split lip, mildly swollen, likely from when he hit the ground. Fjord felt himself frown as he cataloged how bad Caleb looked, eyes flicking over the humans face, the fact that he was reached across Caleb to tend his side forgotten. Stubble had grown across his jaw since the last time they had a leisurely bath, and one of his temples was matted with a bit of blood.

After a moment of examination, Fjord pulled his thoughts together enough to really look at Caleb. It seemed like he was waiting, patiently, and quirked his eyebrow. “Mother hen,”

“Look, I wouldn’t have to mother hen you if you weren’t…” he trailed off as Caleb leaned his head back, looking down through lowered lids at Fjord, “If you hadn’t gotten chewed on by some-”

“Cluck cluck cluck,”

Fjord huffed air through his nose and leaned forward to argue further but Caleb had leaned forward at the same time and they found themselves nose to nose. Fjord froze, a bead of sweat trickling down from his temple. Caleb looked over his face with wider eyes, from his mouth to the bead of sweat to his eyes and back to his mouth. 

The moment drew on, the fire crackling down lower in the hearth, the water cooling. But Caleb didn’t move, breathing slowly, his hand gripping Fjords at his side. Fjord swallowed once. Twice. Tried to summon either moisture or perhaps restart his brain as it was currently not functioning. 

Finally Fjord blinked, closed his eyes, and rumbled “If you don’t stop getting hurt in battle, I’m going to have to have words with you.”

“Well if I stop getting hurt,” Caleb whispered, “what excuse will you have to fret over me?”

Fjord could feel Caleb’s breath on his mouth and shuddered. Eyes still closed he tried to steel himself to move away, to finish cleaning Caleb, to perhaps run back and ask the King to kill him, to do something.

The water sloshed and Fjord opened his eyes to see Caleb’s free hand coming up to his face. He swept across the trail of sweat, leaving more moisture in his wake, before looking into Fjords eyes. “Fjord?”

“Right,” Fjord retreated, pulling his hand from Caleb. “Sorry, you uh,” he cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

The soap lathered nicely, little flowers mixed into it, and Fjord set about washing Caleb’s shoulders just as slowly and carefully as before. Caleb let out a breath and leaned back a bit, letting Fjord work. 

While the silence started out strained, Caleb’s low humming of pleasure every now and then allowed Fjord to unclench his jaw. He poured extra water over Caleb's upper body before pausing. “If you dunk I’ll get your hair and leave you to it.”

Caleb dipped without a word, shaking his head under the water before resurfacing. Fjord checked his nails quickly, he had trimmed them a few days ago so nothing too sharp, before bringing soap into Caleb’s hair and working it into a lather. 

At that point, Caleb tensed again and Fjord stopped. “Did you get hit in the head?” he asked, perhaps a bit too late, and began looking over his scalp.

“No,” Caleb cleared his throat. “I just don’t remember the last time someone… washed my hair.”

Fjord paused for another moment before running his fingers through Caleb’s hair. It was far longer than Fjords and he looked back at the pile of supplies for a moment to catch sight of the brush he had seen earlier. “Me either, to be fair. Suppose any time we get a torso wound we should just assume someones gotta help out, shouldn’t we?”

“Hmm,” Caleb tilted his head, “For some reason, I can’t imagine Beau washing my hair for me.”

The tone was light but Fjord blinked slowly anyway. Here he was, brushing through and washing Caleb’s hair for him, up to his elbows in suds and water. Tending to him.

“Your loss,” he tried to match his tone to Caleb’s as he gently scrubbed and rubbed down his head “Her hands are so strong she probably gives amazing massages.”

“Do you mean all hair washes come with a massage?”

Fjord swept Caleb’s hair onto his head without a word and traced Caleb’s neck, noting where the muscles ran, where he might be sore. “Of course.” Of course, Fjord thought, obviously they come with massages, they come with me touching your neck, your-

He dug his thumbs into Caleb’s neck and Caleb punched out a groan that did things to Fjord. “Sorry,” Caleb held his free hand to his face. “You surprised me.”

“You asked,” Fjord managed to get out and pulled his hands down a length of muscle, feeling for tightness. Caleb pushed into his hands further, head rolling to one side to give better access, and Fjord moved suds with his thumb to find another spot to work. 

Caleb continued to make noises, starting soft and choked off. Fjord just hummed in response, too tired to speak, and worked Caleb’s shoulders until he dug into a particular knot in the thick of his neck.

“Fuck,” Caleb moaned. Fjord sucked in a breath at the sound, pushed back and forth across the problem area. Caleb hissed and squirmed but pushed into the ministrations like a cat and Fjord had to blink a few times to get his eyes to focus again. It might have been his imagination but it sounded like Caleb was practically panting when Fjord eased off.

He kept smoothing his hands over Caleb though, up and down his neck, over the bones of his shoulders and sweeping back up before running down his back. Couldn’t help but keep touching him.

Finally he tried to clear his throat, hoping to sound normal. “Is the water getting cold? I can add some more hot water if it is. Your hair’s clean, at any rate.” He moved around the tub to the water by the fire, throwing a few more plants into it before turning around.

Caleb’s pupils were blown wide and glinted in the candlelight, and he was watching Fjord from his slumped position in the tub. 

“Do you want to uh, rinse your hair, and then I can…” Fjord blinked and licked his lips, “I’ll get your clothes decent for you, and you can uh…”

Caleb leaned forward and pulled himself to the side of the tub nearest Fjord. There he tilted his head back and waited, so Fjord stepped forward and lifted the bucket with one hand and smoothed Caleb's sudsy hair back with the other.

Fjord had to swallow again, looking down at Caleb, vulnerable. Water poured out and Fjord guarded Caleb’s eyes without thinking, smoothed the water through and poured more, trying to focus on what his hands were doing and not the fact that Caleb was looking up at him, face inches from Fjords waist. 

When the soap was gone Fjord retreated quickly, filling the bucket with fresh water from the well and setting it to heat. “Ok,” Fjord said, more to himself, “Ok I’ll get your clothes sorted, and then we can go to bed- you, can go to bed, to sleep, you can go to sleep in your room, uhm, and I will-”

“Aren’t you going to wash up?” Caleb asked, washing his lower half with his free hand. “Someone told me you can’t go to bed filthy.”

“I will, after you head back up to Nott,” Fjord replied, scrubbing a spot on Caleb’s coat before wringing it out and hanging it to start drying. 

Caleb’s voice was soft when he spoke again. “If you could walk me back, I’m quite spent, I would appreciate it.”

Fjord nodded. “Sure Caleb, anything you need.”

“So you might as well wash before we go. Here, I've finished anyway, and there’s plenty of fresh water there for you to draw a bath for yourself.” Caleb dropped the now blood-soaked rag from his side, pulled the plug from the tub, before standing and grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. Fjord hopped up and dug through the supplies in the room for the bandages he had seen. That Caduceus, always thinking ahead. 

It took a minute for Caleb to get out of the tub, leaning heavily on Fjord and trying not to slip. Fjord took his weight easily. He waited as Caleb seemed to ready himself to get his other leg out before sweeping his arm behind both Caleb’s legs and simply picking the man up. 

“That is not necessary Fjord, I can stand on my own-”

“If I want to sleep before dawn we’re gonna need to go a bit faster,” Fjord retorted, entirely too pleased with himself. He still set Caleb down on the bench gently before kneeling to tend the wound. 

Caleb only made noise when Fjord applied healing ointment, otherwise silent. Fjord followed his lead, keeping his mouth shut though he wanted to admonish Caleb again for being so reckless, for being so close to the fight.

“Hand here please,” Fjord asked, and Caleb reached again to hold a pad to the wound. Fjord leaned up with gauze but had to practically hug Caleb to wrap his ribs, and Caleb was warm and smelled of soap and herbs, and Caleb was looking at him entirely too closely.

Fjord bit his lip as he passed the linen behind Caleb, resisting the urge to bury his face in Caleb’s pale exposed neck. He leaned back and Caleb was looking at him again, pupils still huge. Fjord cleared his throat and leaned up to pass the gauze back but when Caleb hummed under his breath Fjord lost his resolve for a moment. Just long enough to turn toward Caleb and brush his nose under the man's ear. Just long enough to do something stupid and for his cheeks to light up in a blush.

“Sorry,” Fjord rumbled and studied his work. Despite wanting to get as far away as possible the bandage really needed one more pass to be secure, so Fjord nodded once, to himself. Get a grip, he thought. 

He leaned into Caleb’s space a last time, face set, but was unprepared for Caleb to lean further into his touch, to rest his hands on Fjords upper arms, to brush his face into Fjord. 

“Caleb…”

“Mmm.” Caleb hummed, and Fjord trembled.

“Cay…”

Caleb’s breath was hot, even in the bathroom. “Fjord…”

Fjord let out a breath and turned his face into Caleb’s neck immediately. The skin was soft and had a delicate scent of soap, and Fjord pressed his mouth against the muscle he had been massaging, hands frozen at Caleb's sides. He wanted to bite into the flesh before him

Caleb’s grip tightened on Fjord’s arms, pulling him closer. Fjord was trying not to breathe too heavily, to give himself away. “Fjord please,” Caleb whispered, and tilted his head to give Fjord more access.

His mouth snapped to muscle on autopilot, laving the skin and sinking his teeth in, marking Caleb further. Caleb moaned outright, one hand coming up to grab the back of Fjords head and pull him closer, his feet slipping across the tile as his legs spread. Fjord immediately took the offered space, rucking Caleb’s towel further up his thighs, grabbing at his waist opposite the wound.

Fjord grunted and moved his hand to Caleb’s hip, pulling him flush with Fjords front. It was hard to get the desired effect through Fjord's armor and clothes though, and Fjord grunted again in frustration, biting deep and releasing, licking up to Caleb’s hairline, running his nose back down before biting a new spot. 

Caleb moaned, slipping down the bench and wrapping a leg around Fjord’s waist. Fjord continued to bite and suck at Caleb’s neck but brought his free hand down Caleb’s thigh, to his knee where it wrapped around Fjord, then back up, pushing the towel open to reveal more of Caleb’s skin. 

His hand passed over a sore spot, a bit of bruising on the hip, and Caleb gasped. Fjord jerked back, searching Caleb’s face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-”

Caleb's hands came up and pulled Fjords face to his, into a heated kiss. Fjord moaned into it, inching forward further until Caleb was pressed against the wall behind the bench, one arm braced next to Caleb’s head, the other still holding the gauze in place as he ravished his mouth. 

Fjord pulled away first, panting hard, and nuzzled into Caleb’s cheek while he caught his breath. 

“Fjord please,” Caleb whispered as he gasped for his own breath, hands scrabbling at the buckles of Fjords armor, “You’re still wearing your bloody armor and I’m stark fucking naked over here, would you just-”

With a grunt Fjord leaned back, pulling Caleb’s hands into his own. “Fuck. Caleb stop.”

Caleb glared. “You aren’t naked yet.”

Fjord licked his lips, tasted Caleb on them. “No. I’m not. I need to finish you. I mean-”

Caleb managed to get a hand free and pulled Fjord into another kiss at that, begging as he went. “Please yes, fuck, Fjord please.”

It was much more difficult to pull himself from Caleb the second time, but Fjord managed with a whine. “I meant your bandage. I need to finish bandaging you.”

Caleb let his head fall back in frustration. He made an image, flushed down to his chest, his neck bright red from Fjords mouth, his towel loose, threatening to slip off his extremely hard cock. “Alright, but then you get naked. You need to bathe the stink off of you.”

“Yes,” Fjord agreed, making quick work of tying the gauze, “that’s the exact reason you want me naked of course.”

“Of course,” echoed Caleb, and ran his hand up the inside of Fjords thigh, making him jump. “Why else?”

Fjord pushed Caleb’s hands away and regarded the other man for a moment. “You need sleep too, you know, and Nott is probably-”

Caleb pressed a hand to his eyes in exasperation, leaning back against the wall, and his towel finally gave up the good fight and fell open at his waist, baring him entirely. Fjord’s mouth flooded and he swallowed loudly, swaying forward and bracing his hands on Caleb’s thighs. “Fuck.”

“That’s the goal,” Caleb shot back. He ran a hand up his own length idly, though the sensation proved too much and he gripped it fully at the base with a whimper. Fjord, it turned out, might have had enough resolve to stop kissing but the sight of a damp Caleb, neck marked by Fjord, gripping his cock and make noises proved beyond Fjord’s great and noble restraints. 

He fell forward into Caleb's lap, arms winding around his torso as he mouthed at Caleb’s hip and hand that still held firm cock. Caleb whined, gasped, spread his legs wider and cleared room for Fjord, who wasted no time sinking his mouth over Caleb’s length despite the near howl that Caleb let out.

Fjord buried his face into Caleb, breathed in the smell of clean flesh, and swallowed around Caleb’s cock before licking his way back up. Caleb trembled, one hand holding his forehead, one hand clutching Fjords pauldron so hard his knuckles were white. “Fjord, I-”

Without waiting Fjord sucked Caleb back down to the root and moaned at the taste, at the feeling of his mouth full with Caleb’s twitching cock as it dribbled precum. The armor was starting to get uncomfortable and in the way, so Fjord worked his tongue on Caleb as he reached up to remove his pauldron and untie the chestplate.

It took a moment for Caleb to notice what Fjord was doing. Then Caleb’s hands were there as he curled over Fjord, pulling knots loose and tugging. Fjord had to lean back up to pull it off and Caleb shifted to his belt, his pants, his packs. Fjord dropped the chest piece and it smacked into the floor before he swatted Caleb’s hand aside so he could undo his belt. 

Caleb huffed again, leaning up and forward so he could capture Fjord's mouth for a moment before he moved to the neck and bit Fjord in return. Fjord froze, ears ringing, and his belt clattered against Caleb's knees and the floor. Caleb wrapped his arm around Fjord, holding him in place as he did his level best to repeat the pleasure Fjord had worked into him, finding a spot that made Fjord gasp and sucking hard.

Fjord grunted, hips flexing as Caleb then bit down. It was too easy to pick the man up, bracing himself for a second before he stood and instantly pushed Caleb into the wall, bringing a knee onto the bench to better balance. Caleb’s legs wrapped around Fjords waist and he gripped Fjords shoulders for the ride, only letting out a huff as he was pressed further against the wall, dragging his mouth up to just under Fjords ear before he bit down again. 

Hands spasming at Caleb’s waist Fjord keened, head thrown back, and thrust against Caleb, nearly losing balance. He pulled Caleb against him harder, hands coming up to grip Caleb’s ass as he thrust again, his smallclothes damp from the air and his leaking cock. “Caleb…” he choked out, licking his lips. 

“Yes,” Caleb breathed, and kissed Fjord running his hands up and down Fjords back before reaching to pull the shirt off. “How are you still not naked, what is this, get this off,”

Fjord obliged, leaning back so he was pinning Caleb by waist only and the only thing keeping Caleb upright was his legs hurriedly wrapped around Fjords waist as he yanked his shirt over his head. He was in far better shape as far as injuries went, mostly minor cuts that had stopped bleeding on their own as well as a few bruises. 

Caleb framed Fjords torso with his hands, running them up Fjords sides, coming to rest at Fjord's neck as he pulling him into another kiss. “Good thing one of us is in shape for these activities.” Caleb mused, licking into Fjord's mouth.

“Shit,” Fjord winced and pulled back again. “Caleb, really, we shouldn’t be-”

“I am not going back to my room in this state,” Caleb insisted, and pulled open Fjord’s smallclothes. “I suggest you help me alleviate the situation in a timely manner.”

“Yes,” Fjord managed as Caleb wrapped long fingers around his cock, tugging. “Fuck, yes, Caleb.”

“I’m glad we are on the same page,” he mused, eyes locked on his prize as he worked it in his hands. “Scheisse…”

“Yes,” Fjord repeated dumbly.

“How long can you hold me against this wall?” Caleb asked, and glanced around the room, “I wonder if there is any-”

“Yes,” Fjord whined, eyes rolling back as Caleb's thumb ran up and over the slit of his cock, swirling the precum that was now drooling out. “Caleb that’s-”

“Ah, there,” Caleb released Fjord in order to point at the stack of bathing supplies. Fjord looked wildly where Caleb meant, seeing various soaps and towels before he caught sight of the small bottle of skin oil.

“Huh,” he thrust against Caleb, trying to get friction, “Caleb…”

“The oil, Fjord,”

“Sure,” Fjord leaned back in and nuzzled into Caleb’s neck, hips pumping, his cock bumping into Calebs.

“For the… oh Fjord,” Caleb panted, slamming his hand into the wall as Fjord lined their cocks up and began thrusting in earnest. “Oh, Fjord,”

His name wrung from Caleb so wantonly was making Fjord’s cock spasm in a very threatening way. “Please,” he whispered, pausing his rhythm to grind into Caleb torturously slow. “Please.”

“The oil, Fjord, please the oil,” Caleb reached again, “You fucking beast of a man, get the damn oil.”

Fjord panted and blinked, looking between Caleb’s flushed face to the oil and back, slowly piecing it together. “Yes.”

“Good,”

“Yes,” Fjord set Caleb down on the bench and leaned to the supplies, snagging the oil, but not before his smallclothes dropped completely and Caleb had a chance to get a handful of his ass and pull him forward. He toppled a bit, off-balance, and Caleb took the chance to lick at the base of Fjords cock, running his tongue over one of his balls and all the way to the tip of his dick.

Fjord whined and almost dropped the oil, bobbling it between his hands for a second. Caleb took mercy on him and stood, pulling the bottle into his own hands and immediately opening it.

“Yes,” Fjord said, enraptured by the sight of the oil dribbling over Caleb’s fingers before he licked Fjord's neck and reached behind himself. Fjord stopped him then, seeing the way twisting like that pulled his torso. “No.”

“Yes,” Caleb argued, narrowing his eyes at Fjord. “I get you all this way and you don’t want to go over the finish line?”

Fjord’s cock jerked, dribbled. “I… you shouldn’t do it, I’ll do it, for you, your side is too… Here.” Fjord took the bottle, pulled the oil from Caleb’s hand onto his own and set the bottle on the bench. “Come here,” he rumbled, and Caleb’s pupils dilated further.

He leaned into Fjord easily. Arms wound around each other for a moment before Fjord picked Caleb up and planted a foot on the bench, resting Caleb's weight onto his leg. “Alright?” 

Caleb dragged his nails down Fjords back in response. “I am growing old here.”

At that Fjord swooped in and bit down on his previous spot, and Caleb nearly choked on a gasp. Slick fingers traced the back of Caleb's thigh, squeezed at the soft flesh of his ass before circling his hole.

Here Fjord faltered, confidence fleeing. “I’ve only ever…” he whispered into Caleb’s neck and he grabbed the back of Fjord’s head.

“Don’t worry,” Caleb replied. “You know the basics?”

“Mmm.”

“I’ve got you.”

“Yes,” Fjord pressed in and Caleb gasped. The sound and the feeling of Caleb clenching on him made Fjord twitch, press his hips up. “Yes.”

“Now… ah, I suppose you should work me open but really I wouldn’t mind if you just slammed into me right-”

Fjord moaned and a second finger slid in as he pushed against Caleb, cock bobbing at the thought. “Yes.”

“Mmm… maybe more fingers though, I saw the size of you and scheisse you were blessed by the gods, I rather want to choke on you while you-”

“Yes.” He rubbed harder, fumbling with the oil to dribble more and keep it deliciously slick. “Caleb, fuck, how much-”

“Like that,” Caleb arched his back into it as Fjord worked him. “Just like that, now another, quickly, please,”

Fjord rocked his hips idly, face buried into Caleb’s throat as he spread his fingers, spread oil that dripped down. One drop splashed onto his cock and he grunted. “Caleb, now?”

Caleb leaned back and let his head thud against the wall. “You will be the death of me Fjord.”

“Never,” Fjord looked up, into Caleb’s eyes. “Never.”

Caleb swatted his shoulder. “Get in me, now, fuck, Fjord, don’t look at me like that, I can’t…”

Fjord pulled his hand down his length, spreading oil and making him bite his lip before he readjusted his hold on Caleb so their hips were closer. 

“Caleb,”

Caleb reached, finding Fjord’s cock and lining it against him. “You have to do most of the work if you are going to hold me up like this.”

Fjord obliged quickly, flexing his hips forward slightly. His cock caught Caleb’s rim and he bit down a gasp, focused on both maintaining Caleb’s weight and trying to not bury himself too quickly. Caleb adjusted his hips and the motion pulled the head of Fjords dick into him.

Now Fjord was panting, eyes rolling back as he paused. The heat, the tightness was quite a bit to process, and he licked his lips. 

“Ok,” Caleb gasped, clenching further, “Fjord, please, more,”

“Yes,” he pushed up, bringing Caleb down at the same time, and drove himself in to the root in a slow unrelenting push. “Fucking yes Caleb.”

Caleb’s mouth was open but no sound came out. Fjord waited, panting, legs trembling as blood rushed out of them. Then Caleb clenched around him and he angled his hips further forward, grinding against Fjords length.

Fjord snapped into Caleb, hands grabbing his waist and pulling him away before quickly slamming back in. Caleb finally made noise again, a shocked “Oh!” as Fjord manhandled him, moved him this way and that as he drove into him.

“Yes…” Fjord moaned and leaned back, hips never slowing as he worked himself into a steady rhythm bouncing Caleb on his cock, eyes clenched tight. One hand moved from Caleb’s hip, groping blindly for his cock before finding it’s prize and squeezing.

“Fjord, I can’t…” Caleb was gasping, hands loose at Fjords shoulders but legs locked around his waist. “It’s too much I can’t…”

Pausing to catch his breath Fjord worked Caleb with his wrist for a moment, and the man squirmed in his lap and on his dick. 

“Down,” Caleb suddenly demanded, “Both, I want… down, the floor,”

Confused, Fjord obeyed. He tried to think for a moment, how to get Caleb to the floor without pulling out of him, looking back and forth from their position to the cleared floor before throwing another towel down. “Hold tight,” he grunted and stepped back, keeping Caleb against him as he spun and sank to his knees.

Caleb’s eyes were wide. “Bless the Wildmother every day,” he whispered, then arched his back and ground down on Fjords cock. Fjord wobbled, still trying to get his knees set on the towel, and overbalanced. Caleb landed on his lost towel, Fjords arms caged around him. 

“Careful,” Fjord admonished, and tugged the towel so Caleb was more centered on it. “You’re hurt enough we shouldn’t even be-”

Caleb pulled himself off of Fjord and started to turn around in his arms. Fjord winced at the loss of sensation and leaned back until Caleb tried to stretch on all fours.

“That’s not going to work,” Fjord muttered and Caleb shot him a look over his shoulder.

“And why not?”

Fjord moved behind him and barely pushed against Caleb's ass before Caleb nearly toppled onto his face with a hiss. 

“What would you suggest?” Caleb admitted, holding his side.

“Let me,” Fjord said, and gathered Caleb up, pulling him back to rest against Fjord's chest. It took a moment for Fjord to get his legs braced more comfortably before he set Caleb's knees around his own. 

“Really,” Caleb deadpanned and dropped his head back onto Fjord's shoulder. “How long can you keep it up?”

Fjord kissed him to shut him up, running a hand up Caleb’s thigh and pawing at his cock. “Long enough I hope,” he replied as Caleb moaned and thrust his hips up. Fjord used his other hand to guide himself back into Caleb, melting slightly at the feeling of sliding in.

Caleb was at his mercy like this, practically laid prone on top of Fjord as he pumped into him. Fjord only paused for a moment to pull them closer to the bench where he could brace his back before picking up his punishing rhythm again. 

Though the steam had mostly cleared Fjord was panting, Caleb’s body searing where they touched. He slowed, drawing his hands up Caleb’s thighs, over his hips, gently across the gauze, to his chest and shoulders.

“Fjord please, more.”

Fjord hummed, steadily thrusting into Caleb but drawing his hands up and down Caleb's body as he trembled. Noting every scratch, every mark that made him wince. He pinched a nipple on a pass and Caleb clenched, but Fjord moved on, up to that neck, gripping it gently in his palm, his other hand bracing Caleb’s should down.

“Yes,” Fjord whispered, and pulled Caleb down onto his cock more firmly. Caleb gasped. “Yes,” his cock pulsed and jerked, and Fjord had to bite his tongue as Caleb clenched down, squirmed, tried to find his release. The hand on his shoulder came down and gripped the base of Caleb's cock and he moaned.

“Fjord I need, please, I need to come now, please,”

Fjord pumped his hand up and down, once, and Caleb twitched on top of him. “Yes…”

“Then let me, fuck Fjord give it to me!”

Fjord groaned and gripped Caleb’s throat, not choking, but bracing, keeping him in place as he fucked into him hard, slamming up into Caleb with each thrust and pulling down on his cock at the same time. “Like that?”

“Yes,” Caleb whined, pressing his head back as Fjord used him. “Yes, Fjord, yes, please, more,”

“Alright,” and the sound of skin on skin picked up as Fjord drove into Caleb, pulled him down onto his cock harder and harder, gave Caleb a few pumps here and there sporadically. 

“Fjord,” Caleb warned, head lolling away, “I’m -”

Fjord took the opportunity to bite down again, work Caleb’s muscle between his teeth as he pushed as deep as he could into Caleb’s tight heat. 

In response, Caleb’s voice cut out and he locked up, entire body going tense. Fjord pumped a few more times on Caleb’s cock until he jerked and came with great heaving breaths, pulsing in Fjord's hand. Fjord whined at the sight, the sound, the feel of Caleb coming undone and thrust a few more times before following, teeth still dug into Caleb's shoulder, breathing hard through his nose as he filled Caleb.

They slumped to the floor, Caleb's seed spread in front of them. Caleb hummed and turned his face into the side of Fjord’s, bringing his arm up to circle Fjords' face.

“Good gods,” Fjord breathed, legs numb. “That was…”

“Mmm.”

Fjord licked his lips. “It wasn’t like that before, with…”

Caleb shook his head in agreement and sighed contentedly. 

“I mean you were, you felt like… and when you did that thing where you-”

“Breathtaking all around.”

Fjord stared into space for another moment, stroking up and down Caleb’s good hip. “Are you alright?”

“Aside from the fact that you still smell like Obann as a shadow creature? Quite alright, in fact, I would say I’m more than alright really.”

Huffing a breath Fjord pushed himself up, sliding out of Caleb with a wince before getting up and helping Caleb onto the bench. “Well, I was somehow distracted from my own bath, though I can’t complain.”

Caleb slid sideways until he was laying on the bench, head pillowed on his arm. “Me neither.”

For a few seconds Fjord puttered around, wetting a washcloth and kneeling next to Caleb. “May I?”

Caleb looked a bit confused, so Fjord simply turned him over and cleaned his seed away, biting his lip at the sight. “And I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Not in the slightest,” Caleb said. He turned back over and gave Fjord a sleepy grin. “Best part of my day by far.”

Fjord smiled back. “Glad to know I rank above cultists and a tentacle monster.”

“You practically are a tentacle monster.” Caleb looked pointedly at Fjords cock, which twitched with interest.

“Right, well, if you don’t mind I’m going to douse myself before I take you back up. If I come back with grime in my hair they might talk.”

He walked over to the empty bath and pulled over a few buckets, pouring one over himself before scrubbing quickly. Caleb watched from the bench, tracking the soap down Fjord's chest.

“If I weren’t so spent I might have a few things to say about the view,” he finally said and yawned as if to prove his point. 

Fjord smirked, turning and bending over to grab another bucket.

“I’ve decided I do have some thoughts on the view,” Caleb called again, “whether or not my cock realizes it I would very much like to return the favor if you are amenable.”

Fjord straightened and bit his lip, trying to not think about Caleb thrusting into him. “You are, in fact, too exhausted for literally anything but getting tucked into bed to sleep, so I would prefer it if you didn’t put such tantalizing thoughts in my head.” He punctuated this by dumping the bucket over his head and rinsing himself.

“So you are amenable then?”

Fjord sighed and looked down, noting that his cock was, in fact, already perking up at the topic. “It’s rude to leave me wanting on purpose. Now I need the cold water bucket.”

Caleb chuckled and Fjord stepped out of the tub, grabbing a towel and drying himself quickly. The fire had long gone out and Fjord tossed a few logs for the next person to use the bath. 

“You are working very hard to avoid saying yes for some reason.”

Fjord held up a finger. “One, I know without looking you are too exhausted for any more activities tonight.” He raised an eyebrow in challenge and Caleb shrugged. “Two, talking about things that won’t be happening tonight will just force me to have to hide my interest from Caduceus, who is literally the most observant man I’ve ever met.” Caleb ducked his head sheepishly. “Three… you’ve tricked me into talking about it and now I have to deal with this on my own.”

Caleb perked up a bit, reaching for Fjord, but his hands were swatted away. “No, that wasn’t an invitation, let’s get you dressed so I can take you back to Nott. She’s probably already going to be angry at me for taking so long and keeping you up.” 

At this Caleb sobered slightly, what little energy that held him up flagging. “She doesn’t need to worry so much, this was my home once, I’m-”

“Exactly,” Fjord argued, and shook out Caleb’s pants. They were still fairly dirty, but they only needed to get him back to his room where he could change into cleaner things. “You haven’t been home in a while, there are all these people from your past… she’s right to worry about you.”

He helped Caleb get dressed, hands only lingering here and there. Caleb was solemn, accepting his clothes and doing his best to dress, leaning on Fjord for balance. When Fjord tugged the shirt over his head their gazes met. Fjord softened immediately, a hand coming up to grip the side of Caleb's neck. “Caleb, we-”

Caleb leaned in and kissed him, softly, slowly. Fjord’s eyes closed and he kissed back, arm coming up to brace Caleb’s lower back against him, moving his mouth against Calebs eagerly.

“What was that for?” he asked when they parted, hands still on Caleb, who tilted his head. 

“You are something else Fjord.” He stepped back and reached for his books, still stacked neatly, and pulled the straps back on. Fjord watched for a moment before pulling on his own clothes hurriedly. 

“Right, everybody decent?” he asked, looking around. The answer was no. Caleb’s throat was absolutely mauled, and Fjord almost felt embarrassed. 

Caleb, however, smiled as he rubbed the abused flesh. “That was really good you know.”

“Yes, it was. Really really good. Thanks for reminding me, again, as we are about to walk back to our rooms, where Caduceus is waiting. Caduceus, the very observant, who will-”

“I’m not sorry.” Caleb’s grin widened. “Not one bit.” He turned and grabbed a towel, draping it over his shoulders and hiding the mark.

Fjord flushed, pleased, and followed Caleb’s lead. Genius. “You’re very smart, you know that Widogast?”

“Maybe,” Caleb replied, and leaned against Fjord as they moved to the door. “We’ll see.”

“Just wait, you will come up with something else clever before the night is out. Mark my words.”

“Such confidence.” Caleb opened the door and winced at the cool air. “I like it.”

Fjord tugged Caleb's arm, turning him back. “Caleb, I want to do this again.”

“That was the plan, before you said not to talk about it because you were getting worked up.”

Fjord instinctively pushed down on his cock, willing it down. “I meant, I want to be with you again, more, in the future. I’ve wanted this for…”

Caleb studied Fjord for a moment, face unreadable. “I think that can be arranged.”

At that Fjord tensed. “I don’t want an arrangement, this isn’t like Avan-”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” Caleb sighed, and Fjord noted how exhausted the man was. “I can hardly think about what I want these days Fjord. But… the thought of being in your bed, of being with you…”

He trailed off and Fjord reached up, rubbed his thumb along Caleb’s lower lip. He just wanted good things for Caleb, after all. “Whatever you want of me, you need only ask. I’ll give you anything. Anything I can.” He let his hand fall but held Caleb’s gaze.

Of all things this made Caleb look confused, but only for a moment before he grabbed Fjord and pulled him into another kiss. This time Fjord held back but tried to convey his yearning, his offer of comfort. Caleb let out a frustrated noise and held on tighter.

“Alright,” he finally said, breaking away to rest his forehead against Fjords. “Alright. There will be more of this. Without doubt. Much more.”

“For now, let’s get you to sleep,” Fjord agreed, but wound his arm around Caleb’s waist, letting the man lean against him. “Maybe if I hadn’t spent all of my magic I could do something to heal you…”

“I just need sleep now, Fjord, your magic was well spent. I’ll be better in the morning.”

Fjord didn’t believe him but held his tongue, rubbing his thumb under the gauze at Caleb's waist. Nott was almost angry when they reached their rooms but Caleb just gave her a hug before falling into his bed. Fjord ran his fingers through Caleb’s hair one last time before leaving.

“You look exhausted,” Caduceus said the second Fjord stepped into their room. “What took so long?”

Fjord busied himself with his packs, trying not to think about the feel of Caleb across his front. “Caleb’s side was in bad shape. Had some trouble maneuvering him around.”

Caduceus paused for a moment, and Fjord felt the back of his neck burning with a blush. “Not too hard to maneuver I suppose.”

Trying not to choke, Fjord put his packs on the floor and hurriedly got into bed, dousing the candle. “Nope! Night Caduceus.”

**Author's Note:**

> If it wasn't BLATANTLY OBVIOUS by the content of this series... I have a thing about necks. I'm a vampire.


End file.
